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George  Washington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 
FAMILY  OF 

COLONEL  FLOWERS 


A  DISCOURSE 


DELIVERED  TO  THE  TROOPS, 


STATIONED   AT 


GLOUCESTER  POINT,  VA. 


FEBRUARY    a8th,    186^. 


BY  REV.  WM.  H.  WHEELWRIGHT. 


RICHMOND: 

CHAS.  H.  WYNNE,  PRINTER,  94  MAIN  STREET. 

1862. 


CORRESPONDENCE, 


#■  3(33 


Gloucester  Toint,  FeVy  28(h,  18C2. 
Rbv.  Wm.  II.  Wheelwright, 

Major  26th  Reft  Va.   Vols. 

Dear  Sir: 

Having  listened  with 
profound  interest  and  unnflfectcd  satisfaction  to  the  admirable  and  appropriate 
discourse  delivered  to-day  by  yourself  to  our  troops  on  the  field  after  inspec- 
tion, and  believing  that  its  publication  would  be  a  means  of  good  to  our  cause 
and  our  country,  we  very  respectfully  request  a  copy  for  publication  aud  gene- 
ral distribution  among  our  troops. 

Very  respectfully,  your  fellow  oflScers, 

r.  R.  PAGE.  Lieut.  Col.  26th  Reg.  Va.  Vols. 

CIIAS.  H.  DIMMOCK.  Capt.  Engineers, 

JOSHUA  li.  GARRETT,  Capt.  Co.  A,  26  Reg.  Va.  VoU. 


JOHN  T.  PERRIN, 

"      E, 

N.  B.  STREET, 

"       C, 

R.  H.  SPENSER, 

"       G,        «       " 

DANIEL  B.  EASELEY 

"      K,        "       « 

J.  CALVIN  COUNCIL, 

I,        "       " 

R.  A.  SUTTON, 

"      H, 

ALEX.  JAMES, 

"      D, 

AV.  R.  PERRIN, 

«       F^        «       « 

R.  M.  PAGE, 

Lieut.  Co.  A,        "        " 

G.  W.  CAMP, 

"       F, 

R.  B.  BERRY, 

«      E,        "       " 

ACHILLES  ROWE, 

«       Y^        «       « 

JAS.  W.  DAVIS, 

«      F,        «       « 

E.  T.  THRUSTON, 

«      E,        "       « 

J.  T.  OWENS, 

«      B, 

A.  P.  MILLER, 

«        p^          «          <c 

L.  W.  THOMAS, 

«      D,        "       « 

J.  R.  nOWSER. 

"       C, 

JNO.  W.  HUNDLEY, 

"       C,         « 

JAS.  R.  HART, 

"       C,        "       « 

R.  B.  ROY, 

«      G,        "        " 

M.  B.  DAVIS, 

«      G,        "       « 

A.  P.  BYRD, 

11           Q                It             I< 

JNO.  IT.  ESTE8, 

«     k',       "      " 

A.  W.  PO  IN  DEXTER, 

«      K,        "       " 

WM.  J.  YOUNGER, 

"      K,        "       " 

J.  W.  ROANE, 

.1      B^        «       « 

J.  H.  VVADDILL, 

11      A_        11       « 

D.  P.  BAHNETT, 

11      A,        "       " 

JAS.  D.  TAYLOR, 

11      ){^        «       « 

WM.  C.  GAYLE, 

«      If,        «       11 

GEO.  P.  LIVELY, 

"      H,        "        " 

J.  W.  SMITH, 

I,        «       " 

S.  P.  LATANE, 

I,        "       « 

A.  C.  WALKER, 

1,        "       " 

J.  M.  NICHOLSON, 

11       u^        .1        « 

CORRESPONDENCE. 


Gloucester  Point,  Va.,  March  Zd,  1862. 

To  P.  R.  Page,  Lieut.  Col.  26th  Reg't  Va.  Vols. ;  Chas.  H.  Dimmock,  Capt. 
Engineers;  Joshua  L.  Garrett,  Capt.  Co.  A,  26th  Reg't  Va.  Vols.,  and 
others,  Officers  of  the  C.  S.  Army — 

Gentlemen: 

Tour  note  of  the  28th  ult.  has  been  received  and  considered. 

I  am  convinced,  that  while  the  truths  indicated  in  the  discourse  referred  to 
are  of  the  first  importance,  they  are  inadequately  presented,  and  the  produc- 
tion has  no  literary  merit  which  can  commend  it  to  general  favor;  yet,  as  ad- 
ventitious circumstances — the  occasion,  the  place  of  delivery,  and  the  relations 
existing  between  the  speaker  and  his  hearers — may  give  it  interest  and  make 
it  the  means  of  doing  good  to  my  companions  in  arms  at  this  post,  I  accede 
to  your  request  and  herewith  place  a  copy  of  the  discourse  at  your  disposal. 

With  grateful  appreciation  of  the  friendly  regard  manifested  in  the  terms 
of  your  note,  and  with  earnest  prayer  that  each  one  of  you  may  be  a  happy 
participant  of  the  great  salvation  of  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord, 

I  am,  most  respecftuUy, 

Your  friend  and  brother  in  arms, 

WM.  H.  WHEELWRIGHT. 


DISCOURSE. 


The  narrative  contained  in  1  Samuel,  from  Chapter  iv.  to  vii. 
inclusive,  is  my  subject. 

Israel  at  war  with  the  Philistines,  the  hostile  armies  pitch 
near  Ebenezer,  presently  they  join  battle.  Israel  was  smitten, 
with  a  loss  of  four  thousand  men. 

The  Elders  consult  as  to  the  cause  of  the  disaster,  and  re- 
commend in  order  that  it  may  bo  retrieved,  to  bring  the  Ark 
of  the  Covenant  of  the  Lord  out  of  Shiloh  into  their  cj^mp, 
"  that  when  it  cometh  among  us,  it  may  save  us  out  of  the  hands 
of" our  enemies." 

The  Ark  of  the  Covenant  of  the  Lord  was  an  oblong  chest, 
made  of  precious  wood,  overlaid  within  and  without  with  gold ; 
covered  with  the  Mercy  Seat,  of  pure  gold;  at  either  end  of 
which  was  a  cherub  of  gold,  whose  outstretched  wings  covered 
the  Mercy  Seat,  while  their  faces  looked  one  to  another.  In 
the  Ark  was  deposited  the  Tables  of  the  "Law,  a  pot  of  manna, 
and  Aaron's  Rod  that  budded,  mementoes  of  remarkable  events 
in  the  History  of  the  Hebrews,  illustrating  the  peculiar  rela- 
tion which  they  sustained  to  God,  as  his  chosen  people. 
Moreover,  the  Mercy  Seat  was  the  appointed  place  of  meet- 
ing and  communion  with  God;  the  oracle  of  no  dubious  decla- 
rations, but  whence  all  things  were  plainly,  unequivocally 
declared,  which  were  given  in  commandment  unto  the  children 
of  Israel. 

The  Ark  was  brought,  under  the  charge  of  Iloplmi  and 
Phinehas,  the  two  sons  of  Eli.  Its  approach  excited  great  en- 
thusiasm in  the  camp  of  Israel.  "  All  Israel  shouted  with  a 
a  great  shout,  so  that  the  earth  rang  again." 

The  Philistines  were  terrified,  saying:  "Wo  unto  us!  who 
shall  deliver  us  out  of  the  hands  of  these  mighty  Gods?     These 


6  DISCOURSE. 

are  the  Gods  that  smote  the  Egyptians  with  all  the  plagues  in 
the  "wilderness." 

Their  leaders  encouraged  thera,  saying:  "Be  strong,  and  quit 
yourselves  like  men,  0  ye  Philistines,  that  ye  be  not  servants 
unto  the  Hebrews,  as  they  have  been  to  you:  quit  yourselves 
like  men,  and  fight." 

The  battle  came  on  and  Israel  fled  every  man  to  his  tent; 
thirty  thousand  were  slain  by  the  pursuing  Philistines.  Among 
the  dead  were  the  two  wicked  sons  of  Eli;  and  the  Ark  of  the 
Covenant  of  the  Lord  was  taken. 

A  fugitive  from  the  field,  with  rent  clothes  and  earth  upon 
his  head,  finds  poor  old  Eli  sitting  by  the  wayside,  his  heart 
trembling  for  the  Ark  of  the  Lord.  The  messenger  tells  his 
sad  story.  Israel  is  fled;  a  great  slaughter  among  the  people; 
thy^two  sons  also,  Hophni  and  Phinehas,  are  dead,  and  the 
Ark  of  God  is  taken.  When  he  made  mention  of  the  Ark  of 
God,  Eli  fell  off  his  seat  backward  by  the  side  of  the  gate,  and 
his  neck  brake,  and  he  died.  His  daughter-in-law,  the  wife  of 
Phinehas,  hearing  the  tidings,  bowed  her  head  in  the  pains  of 
premature  labor;  she  only  lived  to  give  her  son  the  significant 
name  I-chabod,  saying :  "  The  glory  is  departed  from  Israel, 
for  the  Ark  of  God  is  taken." 

After  these  events,  some  time  elapsed,  all  the  house  of  Israel 
lamenting  after  the  Lord. 

Samuel,  (who  had  by  Divine  appointment  been  substituted 
for  the  wicked  house  of  Eli,)  whose  character  was  without  a 
stain,  whose  life  from  childhood  had  been  singularly  blameless, 
speaks  to  Israel  humbled  by  their  disgraceful  defeats  and  sor- 
rowing under  Philistine  rule:  "That,  if  with  all  their  hearts 
they  will  return  unto  the  Lord,  put  away  strange  gods,  and 
prepare  their  hearts  unto  the  Lord,  and  serve  him  only,  He 
would  deliver  them  from  the  hand  of  the  Philistines." 

Israel  promptly  cast  away  their  false  gods,  and  at  Samuel's 
command,  all  assembled  at  Mizpeh — fasted — confessing  their 
sins.  The  Philistines  hearing  of  this  assembly,  went  up  against 
them  to  battle.  Israel  heard  of  their  coming  and  were  afraid, 
and  besought  Samuel,  saying:  "  Cease  not  to  cry  unto  the  Lord 


DISCOURSE.  7 

onr  God  for  us,  that  he  ■will  save  us  out  of  the  hand  of  the 
Philistines."  Samuel  drew  nigh  to  God  with  a  sacrifice,  thus 
confessing  that  all  had  been  forfeited  by  their  sins,  and  pre- 
senting the  life  or  blood  of  the  lamb,  as  a  substitute  for  the 
forfeited  life  of  the  people.  "And  Samuel  took  a  sucking 
lamb,  and  offered  it  for  a  burnt-offering  wholly  unto  the  Lord : 
and  Samuel  cried  unto  the  Lord  for  Israel,  and  the  Lord  heard 
him." 

While  the  priest  was  engaged  in  this  service,  the  Philistines 
drew  near  to  battle  against  Israel.  As  they  approach,  they 
hear  no  enthusiastic  shouting  as  at  Ebenezer;  they  find  a  fast- 
ing, repenting  people — in  their  midst  the  altar  smoking  with 
the  burnt  offering,  a  holy  priest  conducting  the  sacred  rites, 
and  crying  in  earnest  supplications  to  the  God  of  Israel.  There 
is  now  no  need,  they  concluded,  to  exhort  each  other  to  quit 
you  like  men,  for  those  disheartened,  fasting,  praying  people 
•will  be  an  easy  prey,  and  we  will  take  their  altar  and  their 
sacrifice,  as  we  did  their  Ark.  The  slaughter  is  about  to  com- 
mence; strange,  terrific  sounds  are  heard — God  thundered  with 
a  great  thunder  that  day  upon  the  Philistines  and  discomfited 
them,  and  they  were  smitten  before  Israel.  The  fleeing  Philis- 
tines were  pursued  with  slaughter  to  their  own  country,  and 
came  no  more  into  the  coasts  of  Israel. 

Samuel  raised  a  monument  upon  the  field  of  their  triumph 
and  called  it  Ebenezer,  saying:  "Hitherto  the  Lord  hath 
helped  us. 

The  truth  taught  in  the  narrative  is — 

The  recognition  of  the  providence  and  power  of  God  does 
not  avail,  without  a  recognition  of  ourselves  as  sinners,  and  an 
approach  to  God  in  the  only  way  a  sinner  can  come — by  re- 
pentance and  faith  in  a  sacrifice,  where  life  is  given  for  our 
forfeited  life. 

At  Ebenezer,  Israel  recognized  the  providence  and  power  of 
God,  brought  his  Ark  into  their  camp  with  the  confidence  that 
its  presence  would  save  them  from  the  hand  of  their  enemies. 
There  was  much  in  this  mode  of  appeal  to  divine  interposition 
to  strike  the  sense.     Great  was  the  enthusiasm  and  exultation 


.8  DISCOUKSE. 

excited  in  the  camp  of  Israel,  which  found  expressions  in 
mighty  shouts  which  made  the  earth  ring  again ;  a  correspond- 
ing terror  and  dread  apprehensions  were  produced  in  the  Phi- 
listine camp. 

The  people  of  Israel  concluded,  God  surely  will  be  with  the 
guardians  of  his  Ark— did  not  admit  the  possibility  of  its  fall- 
in  cr  into  profane  heathen  hands.  What  a  direful  calamity ;  what 
a  humiliation  this  was,  to  suffer  the  Ark,  their  national  symbol, 
the  most  sacred  of  all  the  furniture  of  the  Tabernacle,  to  be 
taken  from  them,  is  evidenced  in  the  tragical  effects  of  the 
tidings  of  its  loss  upon  Eli  and  his  daughter-in-law.  Ell  heard 
of  the  defeat,  the  slaughter  of  the  people,  the  death  of  his 
gons — until  mention  was  made  of  the  Ark  of  the  Lord — this 
was  as  if  the  burning  lightning  struck  him  with  its  hand  of 
fire — he  fell  and  died. 

The  Elders  vainly  reckoned  upon  God's  help,  because  of  the 
Ark.  God  needs  not,  and  will  not  have  the  wicked  as  keepers 
of  his  honor — the  unclean  hands  of  the  Priests,  the  two  vile 
sons  of  Eli,  were  not  less  polluting  in  their  touch  than  those 
of  the  idolatrous  heathen.  God  will  not  not  have  the  wicked, 
though  they  be  of  Israel  and  of  the  chosen  family,  as  keepers 
of  his  honor. 

There  was  gross  presumption  on  the  part  of  Elders  and 
people  in  thus  claiming  Divine  interposition  without  repent- 
ance and  sacrifice,  ignoring  their  sins,  the  real  cause  of  their 
calamity.  To  presumption  was  added  profanity  in  bringing 
the  Ark  from  its  place,  the  inner  recess  of  the  Tabernacle, 
into  which  went  the  High  Priest  alone  once  a  year,  and  not 
without  blood,  which  he  offered  for  himself  and  for  the  sins  of 
the  people. 

None  is  so  bold  and  familiar  with  sacred  things  as  the  self- 
righteous  fool,  who  is  ignorant  of  his  own  moral  defilement, 
and  would  enter  complacently  where  angels  would  go  with 
reverence,  veiling  their  faces  and  crying,  "  Holy !  Holy ! 
Holy!" 

Nothing  indicates  a  more  degraded,  disgusting  moral  state, 
than  lack  of  reverence  for  things  venerable  through  age  or 


DISCOURSE.  9 

associations.  A  profane,  reckless  familiarity  ^itli  the  holy 
things  of  God  and  his  sanctuary,  evinces  a  moral  rottenness 
that  no  healing  salve  or  mollifying  ointment  can  cure — it  can 
only  be  purged  by  fire. 

The  honor  of  the  Holy  God  was  vindicated  in  the  slaughter 
of  presumptuous,  profane  Israel,  the  death  of  the  corrupt 
priests,  and  in  taking  from  self-righteous,  vricked  Israel  his 
Ark ;  and,  again,  by  the  manifestations  of  His  power  which 
attended  the  Ark  in  the  land  of  the  Philistines.  Dagon,  their 
God,  was  smitten  down  before  it  wherever  it  went.  At  Ash- 
dod,  Gath  and  Ekron,  there  was  deadly  destruction,  the  hand 
of  God  was  heavy  upon  the  people,  until  the  Philistines  were 
glad  to  let  it  go  again  to  its  own  place,  with  a  trespass  offer- 
ing. After  the  return  of  the  Ark  to  Bethshemesh,  the  irreve- 
rent familiarity  before  alluded  to  was  punished  by  the  de- 
struction of  fifty  thousand  and  ten,  who  looked  into  the  Ark. 
A  salutary  lesson  was  taught.  The  men  of  Bethshemesh  said, 
*'  Who  is  able  to  stand  before  this  Holy  Lord  God? " 

Let  us  look  again  upon  the  scenes  of  Ebenezer :  Israel, 
confident,  exultant,  shouting  in  the  morning — in  the  evening, 
defeated,  slaughtered,  humiliated — and  all  this,  notwithstand- 
ing they  brought  the  Ark  of  God  into  their  camp — recognized 
the  providence  and  power  of  God. 

At  Mizpeh,  we  have  seen  Israel  repenting,  fasting,  praying 
and  offering  sacrifice  through  the  ministry  of  Samuel.  No- 
thing in  all  this  that  presaged  victory  to  a  carnal  mind — in- 
deed, human  judgments  might  decide  that  an  army  in  such 
a  condition  was  illy  prepared  for  the  dread  shock  of  battle. 
Truly,  such  moral  dispositions  are  the  best  fitted  for  men,  who 
have  great  responsibilities  to  meet,  danger  and  death  to  en- 
counter— they  foster  a  courage  that  is  cool  and  enduring,  and 
prevent  those  reverses  of  spirit,  or  panics,  to  which  large 
bodies  of  men  are  liable,  when  there  is  not  individual  self- 
recollection,  the  result  of  reflection. 

And,  best  of  all,  this  moral  state  brings  the  blessing  of 
God,  who  spoke  defeat  to  the  Philistines  by  the  thunder  of 
his  voice. 


10  DISCOURSE. 

Of  late,  our  enemies  have  come  up  against  us  to  battle,  and 
found  us  with  the  Ark  of  God  in  our  camp — formally  recog- 
nizing the  providence  of  God,  -wonderfully  manifested  in  our 
former  success,  while  in  reality  we  were  worshiping  false  gods. 
Impious  idolatry,  aggravated  wickedness,  calling  upon  God 
with  our  lips,  our  hearts  bowing  to  idols — using  the  interim 
of  relief  from  the  attack  of  our  foe,  not  in  the  works  of  grate- 
ful piety,  in  preparations  of  national  vigilance,  but  in  self- 
indulgence,  self-seeking,  self-glorification,  undermining  the  very 
foundations  of  society,  and  paralyzing  every  manly  energy. 

The  false  gods  of  Israel  were  two — Baalim  and  Ashtaroth. 
The  false  gods  of  the  Confederates  were  two — Foreign  Aid 
and  Self. 

Foreign  Aid.  Israel,  in  her  straits,  once  looked  to  Egypt 
for  help — desired  to  strengthen  themselves  in  the  strength  of 
Pharaoh,  and  to  trust  in  the  shadow  of  Egypt.  Therefore, 
(said  the  prophet,)  "the  strength  of  Pharaoh  shall  be  your 
shame,  and  the  trust  in  the  shadow  of  Egypt  your  confu* 
sion." 

Our  looking  with  expectation  of  intervention  in  our  behalf 
to  Europe  has  been  a  snare  to  us.  This  vain  trust  has  made 
our  policy  a  waiting,  weak  policy — has  demoralized  the  spirit 
of  our  people  by  hindering  the  growth  of  those  heroic  virtues 
of  self-reliance,  self-consecration,  essential  to  a  successful 
revolution,  and  to  our  permament  existence  as  a  people. 

Self.  The  fact  is  not  questioned,  the  superior  personal 
material  of  our  armies  and  the  more  chivalrous  spirit  of  our 
people.  We  have  rested  too  much  upon  this,  become  boast- 
ful, despised  the  power  of  our  enemy  to  our  hurt.  Boast- 
ing in  an  individual  or  a  nation  is  always  disgusting,  and 
the  prelude  to  a  fall ;  "  He  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be 
abased." 

Self-reliance  is  a  virtue  when  the  fruit  of  knowledge,  not 
of  iirnorance.  If  it  blinds  us  to  our  real  resources  and  to 
those  in  possession  of  our  enemies,  it  is  most  pernicious  and 
frequently  fatal,  by  engendering  apathy,  negligence,  sloth. 

Self-reliance  is  an  element  essential  to  heroic  character,  but 


DISCOURSE.  11 

indomitable  energy  and  sleepless  vigilance  must  be  its  power- 
ful hands,  else  it  is  a  weakness  inviting  the  spoiler  to  his  easy 
prey. 

More  than  all :  Self-reliance  of  heroism  is  founded  on 
faith.  The  heroes  of  the  world  have  usually  felt  themselves 
to  be  the  cliil(ti-en  of  Destiny.  The  heroes  of  tlic  Church 
have,  b}'  tlicir  faith,  obtained  the  help  of  Omnipotence. 

Paul — himself  a  hero — after  recounting  a  list  of  those  who 
"were  great  by  faith,  with  an  inr^jressive  climax,  concludes: 
"  What  shall  I  more  say  ?  for  the  time  would  fail  me  to  tell 
of  Gedeon,  and  of  Barak,  and  of  Samson,  and  of  Jcphthae,  of 
David  also,  and  Samuel,  and  of  the  prophets :  who  through 
faith  subdued  kingdoms,  wrought  righteousness,  obtained  pro- 
mises, stopped  the  mouths  of  lions.  Quenched  the  violence 
of  fire,  escaped  the  edge  of  the  sword,  out  of  weakness  were 
made  strong,  waxed  valiant  in  fight,  turned  to  flight  the 
armies  of  the  aliens." — Hehreivs  xi. 

Faith  is  the  mightiest  element  of  human  character,  and  the 
most  potent  means  of  achieving  great  results  ;  it  is  self-nerv- 
ing, and,  when  rested  upon  God,  it  can  move  mountains,  and 
cast  them  into  the  depths  of  the  sea. 

It  becomes  us  to  let  our  self-reliance  be  based  upon  the 
justness  of  our  cause  and  the  intervention  of  the  King  of 
Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords. 

Humanity  is  not 'self-supporting  —  it  must  go  abroad  for 
help — must  have  faith ;  without  it,  nothing  good  or  great  was 
ever  accomplished. 

Oh !  mny  we  this  day  put  away  our  false  gods ;  "  prepare 
our  hearts  unto  the  Lord,  and  serve  Him  onl3^" 

Our  sins  are  many  and  grievous.  A  general  culpable 
neglect  of  spiritual  things ;  evidenced  by  disregard  for  reli- 
gious services,  even  on  the  part  of  those  who  once  were  glad, 
when  it  was  said  to  them  let  us  go  up  to  the  house  of  the 
Lord;  by  profanation  of  the  holy  Sabbath,  on  the  fictitious 
plea — if  any  pica  is  made,  or  the  fact  remembered  that  God 
commands,  "Remember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy" — 
of  personal  or  public  necessity. 


12  DISCOURSE. 

We  have  lived  and  acted  as  if  we  had  no  spiritual  needs,  no 
souls  to  save,  no  God  to  glorify ;  as  if  there  was  not  before  us 
a  judgment  seat,  to  which  we  approach  by  sure  steps  every 
moment,  and  where  we  will  stand  to  receive  according  to  the 
deeds  done  in  the  body,  whether  they  be  good,  or  whether 
they  be  evil ;  as  if  there  was  no  good  but  temporal,  no  trea- 
sures but  those  of  earth,  no  freedom  but  that  from  the  rule  of 
earthly  tyrants. 

The  best  among  us  have  prayed  earnestly  for  the  success  of 
our  National  cause ;  but  have  forgotten,  it  is  to  be  feared,  the 
petition,  "  Let  Thy  kingdom  come,  and  Thy  will  be  done,  on 
earth  as  it  is  in  Heaven."  Jesus  speaks  to  us  to-day,  "Seek 
first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness,  and  all  these 
things  shall  be  added  unto  you." 

Worse  still,  looking  away  from  the  spiritual  to  the  carnal, 
we  descended  lower,  and  lost  sight  of  our  country's  good,  in 
our  eagerness  for  self. 

Self-seeking  has  cursed  our  cause  for  the  past  six  months — 
to  get  riches  and  place  was  the  pursuit.  The  usual  barriers 
which  guard  these  prizes  were  thrown  down  by  the  revolution, 
and  there  was  a  general  rush  to  seize  some  part  of  the  spoils. 
Grosser  sins  have  been  on  the  increase,  especially  in  the 
army — Profanity,  Drunkenness,  Gaming. 

This  is  a  fearful  fact,  and  if  now  peace  were  declared,  many 
who  would  return  to  their  homes  would  be  unfit  for  their  hal- 
lowed associations,  their  very  presence  would  pollute  the 
pure  atmosijhere  breathed  by  virtuous  mothers,  wives  and 
sisters.  Let  your  brother  in  arms,  who  loves  every  soldier  in 
our  army,  conjure  you,  by  your  own  temporal  and  eternal 
welfare,  by  the  memories  of  home  and  loved  ones,  by  the  holy 
cause  of  right  and  liberty  for  which  we  have  taken  arms,  to 
flee  these  vices,  loathsome  in  themselves,  blasting  to  society, 
destructive  to  every  hope  of  good  in  time  and  eternity. 

As  instance  of  the  depraved  condition  of  public  sentiment 
in  this  regard,  it  has  been  intimated  that  profanity  is  potent 
in  a  fight ;  that  our  soldiers  obey  a  command  with  more  alac- 


DISCOURSE.  13 

rity  when  pointed  with  an  oath.  Such  a  sentiment,  if  enter- 
tained, is  a  disgrace  to  him  who  holds  it,  and  an  insult  to  the 
brave  men  who  fight  for  our  country. 

Slurs  are  cast  on  water  drinkers.  God  save  us  from  asso- 
ciation in  battle  with  men  who  need  whiskey  to  stimulate  their 
courage. 

We  assemble  to-day,  at  the  call  of  our  Chief  Mngistrate, 
for  fasting,  prayer  and  humiliation.  This  formal  recognition 
of  the  providence  and  power  of  God  is  grateful  to  every  pious 
heart.  This  will  not  avail  us  of  itself :  we  must  renounce  our 
idolatries,  repent  of  our  sins,  humble  our  hearts  before  the 
Lord,  seek  His  favor  by  earnest,  importunate  prayers.  We 
need  to  offer  no  bloody  sacrifice.  Christ,  the  Lamb  of  God 
who  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  was  once  offered ;  His 
precious  blood  is  ever  upon  the  altar  ;  His  gracious  interces- 
sions are  ever  made  for  all  who  come  to  God  through  Him. 
We  can  draw  nigh  through  this  perfect  sacrifice,  sinners 
though  we  are,  and  find  personal  pardon  and  God's  blessing 
upon  our  National  cause. 

Oh  !  that  every  assembly  of  our  people  this  day,  whether  in 
church  or  in  camp,  may  be  a  Mispeh  indeed — that  it  is  so  to 
a  good  degree  we  may  feel  assured. 

The  women  of  our  land,  whose  quick  perceptions  early 
seized  the  right  of  our  cause,  and  whose  ardent  affections  at 
once  embraced  it,  now  fly  to  the  Strong  One  for  deliverance 
from  our  enemies.  What  one  has  said  of  herself  is  true  of 
many :  "  I  am  praying,  as  I  never  prayed  before,  that  the 
Lord  will  make  this  war  to  cease,  and  establish  His  kingdom 
in  every  heart,  and  rid  us  of  all  our  enemies  and  those  who 
would  destroy  us,  whether  among  ourselves,  or  in  the  ranks  of 
our  enemies.  While  I  know  my  poor  prayers  have  no  worth 
or  merit  in  them,  I  feel  that  the  Lord  will  hear  and  answer  mo 
for  the  sake  of  my  gracious  Redeemer.  I  will  trust  Him,  and 
not  be  afraid." 

Let  this  spirit  prevail.  Soon  God  will,  in  his  own  way, 
drive  back  the  invader  with  such  destruction,  that  he  will  no 


14  DISCOURSE. 

more  come  into  our  coasts.  And  our's  will  be  the  happiness 
to  raise  our  Ebenezer,  saying,  "  Hitherto  hath  the  Lord 
helped  us." 

In  conclusion.  There  is  no  cause  of  despondency  because 
of  our  recent  disasters ;  the  lessons  they  teach  were  needed — 
let  us  diligently  learn  them.  This  is  no  new  thing  under  the 
sun.  There  is  no  birth  for  a  man  or  nation  without  travailing 
pains.  There  is  no  life  without  death.  Your  fields  often 
wave  with  the  golden  grain,  ripe  for  the  harvest ;  the  seed 
died  in  the  earth,  from  which  were  produced  thirty,  sixty  or 
an  hundred  fold.  "Except  a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into  the 
ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone ;  but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth 
forth  much  fruit."  "For  whosoever  will  save  his  life  shall 
lose  it ;  and  whosoever  will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  shall  find 
it."  (John  xii.  24  ami  Matthew  xvi.  25.)  These  are  the 
words  of  the  great  Teacher,  who  spake  as  never  man  spake. 
The  principle  applies  here.  We  must  die  as  a  people  to  all 
individual  advantage — lay  all  upon  the  altar  of  our  country's 
salvation.  When  this  consecration  is  made,  we  will  have  life 
as  a  people — permanent,  prosperous  existence.  The  God  of 
Nations  will  give  us  an  honorable  place  among  the  nations  of 
the  earth.  A  young  people  must  be  pure.  Corruption  in 
youth  would  ruin — kill  before  manhood  was  reached.  The 
elements  of  speedy  dissolution  might  have  been  seen,  mani- 
festing themselves  among  our  people  in  the  very  infancy  of 
our  Republic — noxious  weeds  and  briers  were  springing  up  in 
the  national  field;  it  needed  the  purging  fires  of  war  to  burn 
over  it,  that  these  might  be  destroyed,  and  the  soil  prepared 
for  the  good  seed. 

Our  future  well-being  may  demand  that  our  sufferings  be 
great  and  protracted ;  that  our  baptism  be  of  fire  and  blood ; 
that  our  cup  be  of  wormwood  and  gall.  Let  us  not  shrink 
from  the  baptism,  nor  put  from  us  the  cup ;  never  admit  the 
thought  of  submission  to  our  foe.  All  that  makes  life  desirable 
is  at  stake :  our  property ;  the  welfare  of  our  wives,  children 
and  servants ;  our  existence  as  a  free,  independent  people. 


DISCOURSE.  15 

With  confidence,  I  appeal  to  you,  fellow-soldiers,  to  stand 
fast;  quit  you  like  men;  be  strong.  Let  your  battle  cry  be, 
"  God  giveth  us  the  victory."  With  this  trust  in  your  hearts 
and  your  arms  in  your  hands,  die ;  but  never  yield  to  the  in- 
vader of  our  honored  old  Commonwealth.  It  -will  likely  be, 
that  before  the  horrid  din  of  war  is  hushed  in  the  sonars  of 
peace,  that  many  of  us  will  witness  our  patriotism  with  our 
life's  blood.  Come,  then,  with  true  repentance  and  trusting 
faith  to  Him  who  redeemed  us  with  his  own  blood,  that  we 
may  find  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  obtain  the  influences  of  His 
Holy  Spirit  to  renew  us  in  His  image  and  to  enable  us  to  live 
soberly,  righteously  and  godly  in  this  present  world,  that,  when 
we  leave  it,  we  may  have  a  place  in  Heaven. 


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